Final answer:
The air pressure would indeed decrease with a decrease in the number of gas particles, as pressure is a result of collisions between gas molecules and surfaces. Boyle's Law also demonstrates that pressure and volume are inversely related, supporting this understanding. Thus, small objects like grains of pollen would experience fluctuations in pressure due to the statistical nature of gas molecule collisions.
Step-by-step explanation:
Yes, you would expect the air pressure to decrease as the number of gas particles decreases. According to the ideal gas law and kinetic molecular theory, pressure is directly proportional to the number of molecules in a given volume. More specifically, pressure is the result of collisions of gas particles with the walls of a container or, in this case, a small object like a grain of pollen. The fluctuations in the number of gas molecules striking a surface would lead to fluctuations in pressure, particularly in the case of very small objects where these variations are more noticeable due to the relatively small number of molecules involved.
Referring to Boyle's Law, we can also see this relationship between pressure and volume. As volume increases, pressure decreases, assuming the temperature remains constant. This is an inverse relationship. Therefore, if the volume occupied by the gas increases, while the number of gas particles and the temperature stays the same, the pressure would naturally decrease.
The situation with a grain of pollen is analogous to Brownian motion, where the pollen grain would experience random forces from the gas molecules hitting it, leading to observable fluctuations, thus supporting the idea that on such a microscopic level, statistical fluctuations can have a noticeable impact on pressure.